Football is a big deal at FSU. Students wait in digital queues just for the chance at snagging a ticket, and when Saturdays come around, everywhere you look, girls are dressed in sparkly garnet tops and cowboy boots, not to mention the guys in the infamous striped overalls.
It seems as though whenever someone brings up the fact that they go to FSU, it’s followed up with how good or bad our team is doing at the moment. Towards the beginning of the 2025 season, you heard things like, “We’re hoping for another chance at a playoff or big bowl game!” More recently, it’s turned into “I just hope we at least beat UF, or we’ll never hear the end of it.”
However, football doesn’t last all year. Our last game this season is on Nov. 29, and after that, FSU will just feel like any other college. The cycle of classes and tests will feel like one long stretch from January into the long-awaited summer break.
So, how can you keep the school spirit flowing? Well, one of the best ways is to find another sport, preferably one we’re doing well in, and follow it, whether that’s going to games or watching it on TV. You can even go to sports bars with your friends and dress up in your usual football game attire.
The sport I recommend following right now is FSU men’s basketball. You can get that same adrenaline high of being in the Doak Campbell Stadium when you enter the Tucker Civic Center and see other proud Noles cheering for their team. Our basketball team is looking promising this year for sure!
Don’t forget about women’s basketball. Women’s sports are often overlooked, but as someone who’s been to an FSU women’s basketball game here, the energy is just as electric.
Are sports not your thing? Don’t worry, there are plenty of other ways to show support for your fellow Seminoles. You could attend performances put on by the iconic Flying High Circus that we have here on campus. The College of Music puts on concerts all the time, and you can also go to see any of the musicals or plays put on by the School of Theatre.
If you aren’t super into live entertainment, then you can always watch some of the student-made films at the Askew Student Life Center (ASLC). Basically, anything you do that supports the things that other FSU students are passionate about counts as having school spirit, at least in my book.
Overall, the most important thing to do during your college experience, besides actually going to classes and earning your degree, is getting involved on campus. Joining clubs and supporting other students can lead you to make friends and connections that last a lifetime. Many alumni come back to FSU for events like Homecoming, and a large reason why so many people are proud to have been Noles is because of the community that comes with the degree.
While football is overwhelmingly the most popular sport at most American universities, don’t forget to show some love to the other events that happen on campus. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find a new favorite hobby or make some new friends.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest!